Franz Schubert’s story has less of a fight and more of a scary amount. Born in 1797 in the Himmelpfortgrund area near Vienna, he was a child prodigy who turned composition into reflex. He started studying the violin under the guidance of his father and the piano under the guidance of his older brother. In 1808, he joined the onto the scene Viennese boys’ choir. His talent developed so rapidly that Antonio Salieri, an important figure in the Viennese musical world, took Schubert under his tutelage between 1810 and 1816.
But the family had other plans. They pushed him in a practical direction. Schubert graduated as a teacher. This is the safe way. This is not his way.
In 1815, he suddenly became onto the scene at the age of 18. He wrote two symphonies. He composed more than 100 songs. He created four stage productions. That’s an amazing achievement for a teenager. By 1818, he had stopped working in the classroom. Striving for independence, he quit her father’s job as a school teacher and became a tutor for Johann Esterhazy’s daughters. The move gave him the stability to create without the pressure of the classroom.
Master of the liedd
It was during these years that Schubert strengthened his legacy. In 1819-1820 he composed the Trout Quintet and the Mass. The music already showed the melodic warmth and harmonic complexity that defined his style. By 1821, he had published twenty of his most popular songs. The response was immediate and overwhelming. In the same year, he also completed the three-act opera Alfonso und Estrella.
His productivity has not slowed down. In 1822, despite the first clear symptoms of the illness that would eventually kill him (possibly syphilis), he wrote “Unfinished Symphony ” and “Wanderer Fantasy “. During the last five years, he has been sick often. The disease took its toll on his body. Poverty did not make his later years happy. In fact, his greatness was widely recognized by his colleagues and patrons. Although he died at the young age of 31, the concentration of genius during his lifetime was unparalleled.
“His 600 songs made lied a full-fledged genre and caused its enormous growth in the following decades.”
Schubert’s contribution to lieds cannot be overestimated. He transformed German songs from simple poetic settings to complex psychological dramas. His 600 songs not only enriched the repertoire; They define genres. The composers who came after him, Schumann, Brahms, Wolf, all stood on Schubert’s paved ground.
Unfinished Mystery
*Unfinished Symphony is one of the most memorable works of his short life. He completed two movements before abandoning the work. The reason for this is debatable. Is it due to illness? Was it a loss of interest? Or has he moved on to other projects like Great Symphony *? The Great Symphony (No. 9) is a monumental and successful piece that testifies to his ability to handle large-scale symphonies.
